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Muzaffaridistan
Muzaffaridistan is a Persianate country in the northeastern Toy Islands which borders Birshatar, Kalpala, Krakozhia, Meziljava, Poldovia, StarLand, and Waqata, as well as the anarchic country of Rhandona. The capital and largest city is Saraiaftab. Contemporary Muzaffaridistani history begins with the settling of the region by Muzaffarid Persians in 1368. With the collapse of the Muzaffarid dynasty in 1393, descendants of the Muzaffarid Shah Shuja arrived in the colony (then called Dajarstan), and proclaimed the creation of the Kingdom of Muzaffaridistan. In the 17th century, the Muzaffarids were overthrown by General Armand Bezadi, who ushered in nearly 350 years of rule under the Bezadi family. In the early 20th century, large reserves of oil and gas were found in Muzaffaridistan, paving the way for high levels of economic development. The country initially declared neutrality during the Second World War, but then later joined on the side of the Allies. As a result, during the Cold War, Muzaffaridistan became an important ally of the US in the Toy Islands and received large amounts of military and economic aid. In 1996, Muzaffaridistan underwent an Islamic revolution led by Shia Muslims and was transformed into the Islamic Republic of Muzaffaridistan. Muzaffaridistan is a major regional and middle power, owing to its military prowess and its control over large energy reserves. It is a member of numerous international organisations, including the United Nations and the Alliance of Toy Islands. Since the 1996 Revolution, Muzaffaridistan has been a staunch supporter of the USSRT, and was a part of the Six-Nation Alliance that fought against NGL during the SNA-NGL War. Etymology The name "Muzaffaridistan" is a combination of the name of the original ruling family, the Muzaffarids, and the Persian suffix "-stan", meaning "land of". History Colonisation In 1039 Shahanshah Farnavaz II of the Kazemostani Empire ordered the annexation of Muzaffaridistan (then called Dajarstan). However, the Kazemostanis were unable to set up permanent colonies in Dajarstan as it was too far away from their empire to effectively supply and keep control of. In 1368, settlers from Muzaffarid Iran landed on Dajarstan and claimed the area as their own. Imperial Era On the 17th January 1647, General Armand Bezadi launched a coup against the ruling Muzaffarid family and crowned himself Shahanshah Armand Bezadi I, marking the beginning of almost 350 years of Bezadi rule over Muzaffaridistan. World War II With the beginning of the Second World War on the 1st September 1939, Muzaffaridistan declared itself neutral and a non-belligerent. Despite this, it offered preferential treatment to Allied troops detained in Muzaffaridi territory, often allowing them to "escape" onto ships bound for Allied countries. Furthermore, the country suffered from constant overflights by Trevallyland and Japanese military aircraft. On the XX XX 1943, Muzaffaridistan declared war on the Axis powers and joined the war on the side of the Allies. Cold War With the conclusion of the Second World War, the United States found itself in a position where it needed to contain the spread of communism from the USSRT to other Toy Islands countries. Although it had already moved to bring the TBRE and its Laltofian allies into the NATO and Western sphere of influence, the US desired to bring another Toy Islands state into its fold to oppose the USSRT. As such, the US gave vast amounts of military and economic aid to Muzaffaridistan bring it into the Western coalition against international communism and thus act as another "policeman of the Toy Islands". When civil war broke out in Matoba in 1967, Shahanshah Kayvan Behzadi II threw Muzaffaridistani support behind President Sébastien Zuwani's regime to counter the Matoban Communist Worker's Party that had rose up against his rule. Similarly, Muzaffaridistan also supported the white supremacist government in Waqata, providing arms and money to fight the black rebels. Matoba would become the main proxy battleground between Muzaffaridistani and Tabi'atstani forces during the Cold War, whilst Waqata quickly become embroiled in the long-standing conflict between Muzaffaridistan and Birshatar. In 1981, Shia revolutionaries attempted a failed coup d'état that resulted in the deaths of around 2,400 anti-monarchist Shia rebels. In response, however, Shahanshah Kayvan Behzadi II was assassinated on the 12th April 1982 by NAME. He was replaced by his son Shahanshah Armin Kayvan Behzadi on the 7th May 1982. End of the monarchy During Operation Grapes of Wrath in April 1996, Shahanshah Armin Kayvan Bezadi supported the Israeli attack on Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah forces, putting him at odds with the majority Shia Muzaffaridistani population. On the 12th October 1996, Shah Kayvan Bezadi put the Imperial Muzaffaridistani Armed Forces on high alert and had naval units move towards the border with Tabi'atstan, marking the beginning of the Yamshahr Island incident. The incident greatly angered the Muzaffaridi public, who although were not completely supportive of the USSRT's communist ideology, believed that the incident was an attack on a country that Muzaffaridistan had close cultural and historical ties with. On the 19th November 1996, Shahanshah Armin Kayvan Behzadi stepped down from the throne as Shahanshah of Muzaffaridistan to hand power over to the Islamic revolutionaries that opposed him, with the revolutionaries proclaiming the creation of the Islamic Republic of Muzaffaridistan. Post-Revolution After the revolution, the United States broke off all ties with the new theocracy, claiming that the revolution was an illegal seizure of power against the legitimate government of Muzaffaridistan, with other Western countries soon joining in the condemnation of the Islamic republic. This prompted the new Muzaffaridistani government to became closer to the USSRT, and the two countries signed a mutual defence treaty in February 1997. In 2014, Muzaffaridistan joined the SNA-NGL War as part of the Six-Nation Alliance, with three Muzaffaridistani divisions being involved in fighting during the conflict. Geography Climate Flora and Fauna Administrative Districts Muzaffaridistan is made up of five provinces. Government and Politics The Islamic Republic of Muzaffaridistan is a theocratic republic, with Shia Islam as the state religion. There are three branches of government, namely the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches. In general, Muzaffaridistani government institutions are a near direct copy of Iranian ones. The head of state is the Rahbar, or Leader, and must be a senior Shia religious leader. The head of government, known as the President, is directly elected, but must also have the support of the Rahbar, who may order elections to be held again if he does not approve of the elected President. The Rahbar retains final say on all decisions, and can overule decisions made by the legislature. The Rahbar himself is elected by the Islamic Revolutionary Council. The President represents the executive branch of government, and is able to put forward new legislation to be discussed by the legislature. He also appoints the members of the Council of Ministers of Muzaffaridistan, which serves as the cabinet. Aside from the Council of Ministers, other important bodies include the Central Directorate of Mosque Affairs, the National Security Council, and the Central Council of Friday Prayer Leaders. The Islamic Muzaffaridistani Assembly, commonly known as the Majlis, is the unicameral legislature of Muzaffaridistan that has 300 members who are elected using a two-round system. Candidates are first voted for by normal voters, and must then be approved by the Islamic Revolutionary Council (IRC). The IRC has 12 members who are voted for by the Majlis. Apart from choosing the Rahbar and approving candidates for the Majlis, the IRC also interprets the constitution. Like the Iranian Guardian Council, the membership of the Muzaffaridistani IRC is composed of six faqihs and six jurists. Individual members of the Majlis are able to put forward legislation to be discussed like the President, although this is quite rare. The current Rahbar is Farid Behrouz Salehi, and the current President is Ramin Kambiz Pashaei. Salehi has been in power since the 1996 Islamic Revolution, and was given the title of "Marji al-Taqlid of the nation" (or "Marji" for short) by the IRC in 2000. Muzaffaridistani revolutionary politicians can be roughly divided into two groups; realists and idealists. Realists recognise the limits on their ability to change the world, and thus focus on moulding their own country into a model revolutionary state for others to follow, whilst idealists focus more on fomenting similar revolutions in foreign countries. A subset of idealists are radical idealists who feel that the state must support revolutions in other countries by any and all means, including interventionist actions such as actively supporting and supplying opposition groups, and do not think in terms of official channels between states but rather in terms of relations between peoples and nations. Three main factions have formed amongst the Muzaffaridistani government; the radicals/left (also known as the reformists), the moderates/technocrats, and the conservatives (themselves divided between traditional conservatives and hardliners). However, it should be noted that all three factions are Islamic and support Farid Behrouz Salehi, leader of the 1996 Muzaffaridistani Islamic Revolution and current Rahbar, partially because all major threats to Salehi's leadership and the Islamic system of governance were purged in the first ten years following the revolution. As the Muzaffaridistani system of governance is both centralised under the supreme leader but also pluralised as it is based on different institutions and has active political engagement from the population, it has been described as a hybrid of authoritarian and democratic regimes. Foreign Relations Since the 1996 Islamic Revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy, Muzaffaridistani foreign relations have generally revolved around two aims; firstly, maintaining the security and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic in a historically volatile and highly militarised region, and secondly, to spread the Islamic revolution abroad. Military The regular military of Muzaffaridistan is the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Muzaffaridistan, which are made up of three branches; the army, navy, and air force. The armed forces have some 551,273 active personnel under arms and reserves numbering X men. They are further supported by various paramilitaries separate from the regular armed forces such as the Army for the Defence of the Islamic Revolution. Aside from its obvious defensive purpose, the military forces of Muzaffaridistan have social functions as well. The military acts as a vehicle for social mobility, with many officers coming from underprivileged backgrounds (lower civil servants, peasants, etc.), and even conscription is a means of social mobility, helping to bring farmers out of the poverty of rural villages. It also operates as a means of national integration, with the sons of tribal leaders often being encouraged to join the officer corps, and the government has promoted the enlistment of previously oppressed ethnic minorities. Judiciary and law enforcement The primary civilian law enforcement agency in Muzaffaridistan is the National Police. In rural areas, law enforcement is provided by the Muzaffardistani Gendarmerie. During natural or man-made disasters, the police is supported in crisis management efforts by the Civil Defence Organisation. The main intelligence service of Muzaffaridistan is the National Intelligence and Security Agency. Human rights Muzaffaridistan has not signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984), the Minimum Age Convention (1973), or the Convention on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining (1949). Extrajudicial executions and disappearances, killing of protestors, and torture are among the abuses of human rights documented in the country. It is believed that in the aftermath of the 1996 revolution, 30,000 opponents of the new government were executed. Economy Muzaffaridistan has a mixed socialist economy, with a high level of government control over strategically important parts of the economy such as agriculture and the oil industry. Apart from these sectors, the tourism industry also brings much revenue into the country. The government run Islamic Republic of Muzaffaridistan Construction and Development Corps plays an important role particularly in agriculture, serving to teach peasants more efficient methods of farming and how to improve infrastructure such as bridges. The oil and gas industry is arguably the most important sector of the Muzaffaridistani economy, making up 72% of Muzaffaridistani exports. Due to the resulting dependency on international market prices of oil and gas, the Muzaffaridistani government has attempted to diversify the economy. Apart from oil and gas, Muzaffaridistan also has large mineral reserves, with iron ore, salt, and coal being the largest mineral exports of the country. Furthermore, there are significant deposits of copper, zinc, lead, chromite, and bauxite which are also exploited. Muzaffaridistan is an exporter of steel, and produces around 7.26 million tonnes of steel per year. Muzaffaridistan has a strong chemical production industry, with the main products being methanol (methyl alcohol) and ammonia. Fertilisers are a major export of Muzaffaridistan. The construction and cement industries are also strong, with the former drawing on plentiful supplies of building stone, gravel, and limestone for cement production. Overall, only about 10% of the land in Muzaffaridistan is arable and 1% is used for permanent crops. The top five most produced crops are wheat, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, and rice. Dates, cotton, pistachios, and melons are also produced, although they are limited in the areas they can be planted in by water needs. Other cash crops cultivated in Muzaffaridistan include tea, bananas and coconuts. Muzaffaridistani tea is primarily grown to satisfy domestic demand, whilst bananas are mainly exported to Krakozhia, Györmár-Kazvhalia, and East Valreșia. On the other hand, much of the country is suitable grazing land for sheep and goats, Muzaffaridistan's two main sources of meat. Fishing is another major part of the economy, and Muzaffaridistan is known for its sturgeon aquaculture farms from which caviar is harvested. The Muzaffaridistani arms industry is highly advanced, capable of making parts for both Western and Soviet military equipment. It is mostly geared towards domestic needs, with little being exported overseas. Most Muzaffaridistani armaments factories were built under the rule of the Bezadi dynasty with the help of the United States. Since the revolution (and indeed previously under the Bezahdis), Muzaffaridistan has sought self-sufficiency (khod kafai) in the economy. The Muzaffaridistani leadership does not believe that entrepreneurs should dominate government decision making processes and believes in the state leading the private sector. However, it should be noted that the Muzaffaridistani government is not communist in character and recognises private property, seeing the role of the state as a guiding factor rather than as a method of replacing the private sector. Economic reform was initiated in YEAR under the following eleven main points: *Privatisation of industry, mines, and other industrial and non-industrial productive activities *Deregulation of economic activity and of banking and financial services *Activation, expansion, and modernisation of the Saraiaftab stock exchange *Encouragement of inward direct foreign investment *Foreign borrowing *Establishment of free trade zones around the country *Devaluation of the rial *Gradual reduction of subsidies *Liberalisation of trade and returning it to the private sector *Freeing of prices *Return of exiled capital and expertise Despite the privatisation of numerous state enterprises, some mines and other infrastructure were kept by the government as strategic reserves. The state was also initially reluctant to privatise banks and financial institutions, as they provided a backdoor method of controlling the private sector, which rely on the banks as investors (particularly in industry). Nevertheless, significant steps have been taken to privatise the banks, and it was planned to authorise banks to open foreign currency accounts in national and overseas branches and to allow them to pay interest on all such accounts in 2008. The two main FTZs (Free Trade Zones) are Dorousan and Lavahran Island. They offer income tax exemptions, subsidies for residents' transport and utility expenses, and custom duties holidays of 20 years. Tourism A major tourist destination is Lavahran Island, located in the administrative area of the city of Dorousan in Jolgehstan province. The Lavahran Island luxury resort has private villas, hotels and restaurants, clubs, a civic centre and a small bazaar. Numerous outdoor sports facilities are available, including a marina, bridle trails, and an 18-hole golf course. Most of the architecture is contemporary in genre, although a local village has been preserved in traditional architectural style. Various ruins and other historical monuments have also been preserved. Lavahran Island has a large airport which serves as the arrival point for most tourists and which can even support the Concorde supersonic transports of Muzaffaridistan Airways. North of Saraiaftab is the Takavrik ski resort in the Varamsar mountains, one of the top ski resorts in the Toy Islands. Infrastructure Despite having large energy reserves and being a net exporter of oil and petroleum products, Muzaffaridistan has been pursuing alternative forms of energy. Under the Bezadi dynasty 16 nuclear power plants were built capable of producing 23,000 MW. The country also has its own uranium enrichment plants and reprocessing equipment, giving it control over the entire nuclear cycle. Transport Muzaffaridistan has a well developed national motorway system and complementary bus services with extensive coverage. Roads are the main method of transporting goods around the country and indeed carry some 75% of Muzaffaridistani freight. However, around two-thirds of Muzaffaridistani roads are unpaved, although the government has initiated plans to upgrade motorways linking major cities and serving provincial hubs. Railroads link all major ports and inland cities in Muzaffaridistan, although they mostly transport goods rather than passengers. The Muzaffaridistani railroad network links with those in Krakozhia and Kalpala. Saraiaftab has its own metro system carrying commuters, and similar urban light railroads and metros have been approved for construction in other cities. Air travel is also popular in Muzaffaridistan, with domestic flights being very cheap. There are over 320 airports in Muzaffaridistan, although less than 130 have paved runways. There are a total of seven international airports, two of which are located in the capital, Saraiaftab. The national flag carrier of Muzaffaridistan is Muzaffaridistan Airways. Other airlines include Dorousan Air, Lavahran Air, Mishavar Airlines, and Quzivand Airlines. Muzaffaridistan's main ports are Byanaj, Kosajarm, Dorousan, and Bandar Zehragi, with Byanaj and Kosajarm shipping oil out of the Toy Islands, and Bandar Zehragi shipping oil to other destinations within the Toy Islands. These ports also handle other cargo, and a ferry service between Kosajarm and Dorousan handles passenger and freight transport between mainland Muzaffaridistan and Jolgehstan, which borders Birshatar. Science and technology The traditional centres of scientific research formed before the 1996 Revolution are Saraiaftab University, the Islamic Medical Centre of Muzaffaridistan and the University of Bamekan. Higher level education institutes formed after the Revolution include the Derakht Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences and the Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics located in Saraiaftab. The Derakht Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences is popular as it is far from the capital, protecting it from what is seen as the money-driven mentality of residents of Saraiaftab, and allowing for cheap accommodation. Salaries are quite high by Muzaffaridistani standards, and this combined with the previous reasons allows for most of the staff's time to be devoted to research. The Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics is known for the number of papers it publishes, and has numerous ongoing projects connecting it with foreign research institutes. It also has been attempting to bring in expatriates, and even students who have not yet earned a PhD may be offered an affiliation with the Institute. Muzaffaridistani students and researchers are known for their proficiency in computer simulation, particularly in genetics due to the cost of importing scientific equipment in this field. There are also many opportunities for joint research ventures as laws governing genetic engineering do not exist in Muzaffaridistan yet, and as such Muzaffaridistanis can gain access to DNA samples that are more difficult to obtain in the West. Chemistry and work on plant diseases are other areas that Muzaffaridistani scientists excel at, as chemistry has long been highly praised in Islamic societies, and plant viruses are considered a local problem and hence several research institutes have become well known for work on them. There exists a nuclear research centre in Saraiaftab that operates a research reactor, and the country has a nuclear energy agency called the Atomic Energy Organisation of Muzaffaridistan which employs over 1,500 people. Muzaffaridistan does not have nuclear weapons, but is widely considered to have breakout capability and is thought to be able to construct nuclear weapons relatively quickly. Demographics Religion The overwhelming majority of Muzaffaridistanis (some 80%) are Shia Muslims, with Twelver Shia Islam also being the official state religion. Another 14% of the population follows Sunni Islam, with the majority of these being NAMES and Arabs. The remaining 6% are made up of non-Muslim religious minorities, such as Christians, Jews, Bahais, Mandeans, Yezidis, Yarsanis, and Zoroastrians, or irreligious people. Atheism is exceedingly rare in Muzaffaridistan, and many Muzaffaridistanis do not understand the concept. Located in Mishavar is the Revolutionary Islamic Centre, a large religious complex that leads up to a main mosque and ceremonial hall. Other structures contain a library and museum, a research and discussion hall, a guest house and offices, and a mausoleum. There are also five minarets spread throughout the complex. Ethnic groups and languages 60.3% of the population of Muzaffaridistan are Persians. About 18.5% of the population is made up of NAMES, the indigenous people of Muzaffaridistan who speak their own Indo-Iranian language. Arabs account for another 10% of the population, mostly residing in Jolgehstan province bordering Birshatar. The NAMES (a semi-nomadic Turkic people who primarily live in Saranjmar province near the border with Krakozhia) and other Turkic peoples comprise a further 7%. There are small groups of Poldavians, Krakozhians, and Waqatans that inhabit the country as well, who along with other small ethnic minorities make up the remaining 4.2% of the population. Health Whilst government organisations play the major role, providing more than 70% of hospital beds in the country, Muzaffaridistan has a mixed health system with both government and private healthcare providers. There are more than 21,000 physicians in Muzaffaridistan (including both general practitioners and specialists) and the Ministry of Health has around 260,000 employees. To provide health services to rural areas, the Muzaffaridistani government maintains the Islamic Republic of Muzaffaridistan Health Corps. Primary health services in Muzaffaridistan are free, and whilst more advanced services such as invasive surgeries must be paid for by patients, the government heavily subsidises all medical services and medicines. Furthermore, current and retired employees of the government receive coverage by various governmental insurance agencies. Provision for mental health services began comparatively late, starting in the 1970s, but have expanded rapidly since the 1990s. Due to the low average age of the population, health care in Muzaffaridistan primarily targets the needs of infants and children rather than the elderly. A health issue of major concern in Muzaffaridistan is drug abuse, with an estimated 2 million people in the country being addicted to opium, heroin, and other drugs. The drug issue also creates worries about HIV/AIDS, even though the infection rate is quite low (less than 0.02% of the adult population). As a result, the Ministry of Health has begun various programmes to combat the spread of the disease, including handing out free syringes to drug addicts. Education Education in Muzaffaridistan is divided into elementary, guidance, secondary, and higher education. Elementary education covers children from 6 to 11 years, and is compulsory, with children often attending one year of preschool before starting their elementary education. At age 11, children must pass a national exam if they are to enter a guidance school. Guidance schools follow a three year programme which provides students with a general education, and at age 14, children must take another exam to go on to secondary education. The secondary education system in Muzaffaridistan (for ages 14 through 17) is divided into two branches; the theoretical/academic branch (for literature and culture, socioeconomic studies, mathematics and physics, and experimental sciences) and the more vocational technical branch (for business and vocational, technical, and agricultural studies). Upon successfully completing secondary education, students acquire a high school diploma. To take higher education studies, students must first undertake a one year pre-university course and take the National Entrance Exam. The NEE is highly competitive and decides which universities a student can attend, with university places for less than 30% of candidates. Bachelor's degrees require four years of study, master's degrees typically take two years, and doctorate degrees require a minimum of three to four years of study. Public education is free and the most readily accessible, although there exist a number of very expensive private schools and universities. The capital city, Saraiaftab, is the educational centre of Muzaffaridistan, with such institutes as the Islamic Medical Centre of Muzaffaridistan. Other educational institutes outside of Saraiaftab include the University of Bamekan, which covers 350 hectares and has twelve faculties. The university is particularly well known for sciences, social sciences and the humanities. Attached to the University of Bamekan campus is the headquarters of the Free University of Muzaffaridistan, which covers 100 hectares and is in charge of some 400 centres throughout the country. The Free University disseminates self-instructional material such as books, cassettes, television programmes and practice kits to local and regional centres to provide maximum educational coverage across Muzaffaridistan. Most locales are within one hour's travel of such centres. The Free University operates the Educational Radio and Television complex, and many of its lecturers are graduate students from the University of Bamekan. Free University Educational Radio and Television is broadcast on national and local television channels, and is meant to help overcome shortages of teaching staff and educational facilities. Free University Educational Radio and Television programmes are also used as teaching aids in schools. An organisation known as the Islamic Republic of Muzaffaridistan Literacy Corps also exists to provide education in rural village areas. Welfare The Muzaffaridistani government subsidises bread, meat, milk, oil products, electricity, medicines, and health care services. Three major insurance organisations provide insurance coverage for the country's population: the Social Security Organisation, the Medical Services Insurance Organisation, and the State Retirement Organisation. Insurance services are funded through a mix of contributions from employers, the national government, and insured employees, with the insurance organisations also providing benefits to families of employees. The three aforementioned insurance organisations provide coverage for some 60% of the country's citizens. Muzaffaridistan has various informal credit organisations backed by mosques that provide interest-free loans (Islam forbids the collection of interest on loans), with loans being available for education, marriage contracts, and relieving general hardship. The loans are guaranteed by local religious leaders and other such people, and the informal credit organisations providing such loans also serve as charities and credit centres. Culture Muzaffaridistani culture is most heavily based on Iranian culture, although it is also influenced by Arab and Slavic culture due to the country's proximity to Poldovia, Krakozhia, and Birshatar. Saraiaftab is the main cultural focal point of Muzaffaridistan, but there are other cities of cultural importance to the country. Qaenourd is the location of the Muzaffaridistan Museum of Modern Arts. The site of the museum is on an outcropping of a hill that overlooks the city, and the museum itself has almost 3,000 square meters of exhibit space as well as lecture halls, a library, a walled sculpture garden, a cafeteria, and administrative offices. There is also the Farrokhran Cultural Centre, which is designed like a traditional square or plaza, and has performance halls for 200 to 1,200 people, a library, an exhibit hall, restaurants, a teahouse, studios, workshops and an audio-visual hall. Various different musical and theatrical programmes are performed in the Farrokhran Cultural Centre, and it receives many visitors daily. Art Architecture Literature Observances Music Theatre Cinema and animation Media The main news agency in Muzaffaridistan is Fanus ("Lantern") News Agency. Sports Cuisine Category:States Category:Alliance of Toy Islands Category:Muzaffaridistan